SEDM1033 - Curriculum Development and Change

Objectives:

On successful completion of the module, students will be able to:

1 Demonstrate a systematic understanding and knowledge of the roots of the term curriculum by studying how it has manifested itself across 20th and 21st century Western education systems.
2 Demonstrate understanding and critical evaluation of research and advanced scholarship on curriculum development and change.
3 Demonstrate critical evaluation of current national and school-level responses to curriculum development and change: (i) across the curriculum; and (ii) in their specific curriculum specialism to demonstrate an application and interpretation of their curriculum knowledge.
4 Demonstrate an ability to review practice in their own work context with regard to current curriculum theory initiatives and research methodologies using appropriate techniques applicable to their field of specialism (primary/secondary/subject specific).
5 Demonstrate an ability to modify current practice in the school setting in light of critical evaluation of national curriculum initiatives and reports, educational curriculum theory and perceived best practice, with special reference to impact on pupil learning.
6 Provide evidence of meeting relevant National Standards of an Excellent Teacher.

Content:

Students will analyse conceptions of curriculum from the 20th century, and theory around curriculum implementation from the advent of public education. Students will evaluate pupil experiences of curriculum and curriculum change in terms of: (1) the manifest curriculum (2) conceptions of subject matter (3) implicit curriculum issues.
Students will evaluate curriculum policy (public policy, forms of authority, conditions of policy making, nature of policy, agenda formation, government action, relationship between curriculum policy and practice). Students will evaluate curriculum assessment (at each key stage, and national qualification level pertinent to their specialism).
Students will critically review current research agendas for curriculum development and change and consequent methodological issues and techniques for curriculum research enquiry (including impact on children’s learning in their specific context).

Learning and Teaching Information:

Learning will be through a range of workshops, tutorials and seminars. Students will be expected to draw on: their own working experience of designing curriculum and changing curriculum courses; recent DCSF, Standards, QCA curricula and documentation, especially that used and referred to in their school environments; current research in the curriculum field across the UK, Europe and North America, in order to contribute to, and lead, discussions.

Individual reading of subject specific and curriculum generic texts and academic papers to harness understanding and focus intellectual, cognitive teacher reflection and thinking.

Ongoing reflection on college-based sessions and relevance to the work context will be facilitated by the use of online forums on the college VLE.

Workshops
Contact hours: 12

Seminars
Contact hours: 12

Assessment: